Increased plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine and soluble CD40 ligand in patients with sleep apnea.
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are a leading cause of mortality and they are frequent in patients with the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).


OBJECTIVE
In this study we investigated if OSAS influences CV function independently of other CV risk factors frequently present in these patients (e.g. obesity, high blood pressure).


METHODS
We compared plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and endothelin-1 (ET-1), and atherosclerosis progression (soluble fraction of the CD40 ligand, sCD40L) in OSAS patients with (n = 23) and without (n = 18) concurrent CV risk factors, as well as in healthy subjects (n = 23).


RESULTS
Plasma ADMA (p < 0.01) and sCD40L (p < 0.05) were abnormally increased in patients with OSAS versus healthy controls, but they were not influenced by the presence or absence of CV risk factors in OSAS. ET-1 levels were not different between the three groups of subjects studied.


CONCLUSIONS
OSAS is associated with endothelial injury and atherosclerosis progression independently of other CV risk factors.
Barceló
Antonia
A
Servei de Anàlisis Clíniques, Hospital Universitari Son Dureta, C/ Andrea Doria 55, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. abarcelo@hsd.es
de la Peña
Mónica
M
Ayllón
Olga
O
Vega-Agapito
M Victoria
MV
Piérola
Javier
J
Pérez
Gerardo
G
González
Constancio
C
Alonso
Alberto
A
Agustí
Alvar G N
AG
D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
D019332:Endothelin-1; D023201:CD40 Ligand; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine